Portland

More than lighthouses and lobster rolls (but lots of those, too).

Dec 13, 2024

Portland never gets the attention it deserves. It has interesting history. It’s on the water. It’s quirky. The food scene is well…keep reading. Not to mention the craft beer scene. It is the epitome of quintessential New England. But it also challenges everything you thought you knew about the state of Maine. And yet, it is consistently overlooked as a weekend destination. No longer.

The Portland Map (so you can plan accordingly :)

The Sights

Walking around Old Port
Portland Museum of Art
Portland Head Light / Cape Elizabeth
The Arts District
Eastern Promenade
A Boat on Casco Bay
Blueberry Picking

The Food

A word about food in Portland: The city is a culinary destination, and I will die on that hill. For how small it city is, and how seasonal it can be, the food scene has been booming for years. It goes way beyond seafood and into the world of tasting menus and farm-to-table. Even with limited knowledge (this list should suffice), it’s genuinely difficult to have a bad meal here.

Honey Paw — for New England-influenced Asian food from the group behind Eventide.
Duck Fat / Duck Fat Frites Shack — for incredible fries, endless dipping sauces, and everything fried in (you guessed it) duck fat.
Central Provisions — A menu separated into easily decipherable categories: Raw, Cold, Hot, and Sweet.
Twelve — The chef hails from New York giants Daniel and Eleven Madison Park.
Izakaya Minato — for a traditional neighborhood Izakaya.
Scales — for another winner from the Fore Street/Standard Bakery team.
Regards — for Mexican-Japanese-American fusion (kind of my dream, honestly).
Mr. Tuna — for a mobile sushi bar food truck-turned dine-in restaurant.
Cong Tu Bot — for Vietnamese, if you happen to be craving.
East Ender — for elevated bar food and KARAOKE!
Dutch’s — for a casual, diner-style breakfast or lunch.

The Must-Do:

Eventide Oyster Co.
- Getting to the meat (pun intended) of the discussion surrounding Portland food: lobster rolls. This is what you came for. While Eventide’s isn’t a traditional take, it’s one that will leave you coming back again and again. The bun is pillowy soft. But the brown butter lobster mixture puts it over the top. Don’t miss the Scallop Waffle-Yaki. And the oysters…goes without saying.
Fore Street
- A Portland institution since the mid 90s, it continues to be a must-visit. It has won all the awards. The menu changes daily. The space is wonderful. Many argue it singlehandedly jumpstarted the Portland food scene. And almost three decades later, it’s STILL hard to get in. Many restaurants can only dream of achieving this level of sustained excellence. Here I am, sounding like Pete Wells…
Empire Chinese Kitchen
- I won’t lie, discovering Empire elevated my status among my friends. Portland excels when it comes to Asian cuisine, and Empire is no exception. The soup dumplings, the lobster fried rice, the bao buns, the garlic green beans. It can be a sad world when the only Chinese food you crave on a rainy Sunday night is a 7-hour drive away.

The Coffee Shops & Bakeries

Holy Donut for donuts that are actually made from potatoes…
Beal’s Ice Cream for homemade ice cream.

The Must-Do:

Standard Baking Co.
- This James Beard Award-winning bakery (conveniently located right below Fore Street, but of course) is always my first stop in Portland. It’s not uncommon to spot me around New York sporting their famous tote bag. They prioritize organically sourced, local ingredients and it shows in every pastry, from the morning bun to the gorgonzola walnut focaccia.
Tandem Coffee + Bakery
- I wish I could start every day at Tandem. But specifically the Tandem on Congress Street in a former gas station-turned-laundromat. It has an impossibly cool vibe and critically, it is the only location selling baker Briana Holt’s melt-in-your-mouth baked goods (get your fill of Maine blueberries with the biscuit and blueberry jam). Did I mention they also have great coffee? And the shop…complete with vinyl and coffee-brewing accessories…don’t even get me started.